Interpretive Summary: Effects of feeding high oleic soybean oil to growing–finishing pigs on loin and belly quality

By: Katelyn N Gaffield, Dustin D Boler, Ryan N Dilger, Anna C Dilger, Bailey N Harsh

Feeding pigs supplemental fat to increase caloric density is a common practice in the swine industry. However, dietary fats are also a key determinant of pork fat composition and may influence product quality. High oleic soybean oil (HOSO), a relatively new feed ingredient, differs from conventional soybean oil in that it contains an increased proportion of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. However, HOSO has not been extensively researched in pig diets. Therefore, our goal was to investigate the use of dietary HOSO on fresh belly and loin quality. A total of 144 pigs, fed one of four diets that differed in fat source, were slaughtered at the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory. One diet contained 25% dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS), while the other three had graded levels of high oleic soybean oil (2%, 4%, or 6%). Pigs were fed diets for the last 14 weeks leading up to slaughter. Pigs fed HOSO produced thicker, firmer bellies and fat tissue containing a decreased proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with DDGS-fed pigs. Feeding HOSO had little impact on fresh loin quality and palatability compared with feeding an industry-reference diet containing DDGS.

Read more in the Journal of Animal Science.